Switchboard apparatus.



A. F. F. GILSON. SWITCHBOARD APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED MAIL-20! 1914.

1,1 84,?38. I Patented May 30,1916.

W/f/resses: Mme/#01 THE COLUMBIA PLANoflnAPH c0.. WASHINGTON, D. c.

churn sTaTs raTEET Em ALBERT r. r. GILSON, OF cLosTER, NEW JERSEY,AssIeNoR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T0 wEsTERN ELEoTRIo COMPANY,INCORPORATED, A ooRroRATIoE or NEW YORK.

SWITCHBO-ARD APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Pgmgn-t d M 3Q 191g Application filedMar-ch 20, 1914. Serial No. 826,133.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT F. F. GILSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Closter, in the county of Bergen and State of New Jersey,have invented a certaln new and useful Improvement in SwitchboardApparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exactdescription.

This invention relates to switchboard apparatus and more particularly toparty l 1n'e indicating keys of the mechanically locklng t e.

The object of this invention is to improve the structure of a key ofthis type by the provision of few and simple parts which may be easilyproduced and assembled, and to improve the operation whereby the Gill?ciency is greatly improved and the life of the wearing parts greatlyprolonged.

In accordance with one feature of this invention, there is provided alongitudinally movable latch plate, through whlch the plungers extend,and which is provided with anti-friction locking devices for theplungers.

Other features of the invention relate to a novel mounting means for theswitch sprlngs and other details of construction and combination ofparts as will be hereinafter more fully pointed out.

In the drawingsFigure 1 1s a vlew in side elevation, with parts brokenaway, of a switch key embodying the features of this invention; Fig. 2is a perspective view inessembly of parts embodied in the invention, andFig. 3 is a detail perspectlve view of a mounting for the switchsprings.

As shown in the drawings, 5 designates a top plate of a switch keyhaving mounted thereon a. strip of hard rubber or other suitableinsulating material 6. Extendlng through the top plate 5 arespring-actuating plungers 7, 7 having mounted upon the outer endsthereof buttons 8, 8. Formed upon each of the plungers 7 is a conicalprojection 10 of uniform contour, having a substantially flat uppersurface. Secured to each of said plungers 7 is a spring-actuating cam 11of insulating material also having a uniform conical contour. Secured attheir upper ends to the top plate 5 are posts or end members 12, 12, tothe lower end of which is secured a spring mounting plate. This springmounting plate has a main body 13 and laterally projecting side members14,

14:. The end members 12, 12 being slotted at 15 to receive one of theseside members 14:, the other of which projects under the end of the postsas clearly shown in Fig. 2. The mounting plate may be secured to the endmembers 12, 12 by means of machine screws (not shown).

Located just beneath the top plate 5, and having sliding engagement withreduced portions 16, 16 of the posts 12, 12, is a latch plate 17 havingtwo parallel side members 18, 18 located one upon each side of theplungers 7, 7. Extending transversely of the latch plate 17 and securedto the side members 18, 18, between the ends thereof, are anti-frictionrollers 19, 19. These rollers arein position to be engaged by the sideface of the conical projection 10 to move the latch plate longitudinallyupon the depression of a plunger. A spring 20 secured at one end to oneof the end members 12, has its other end in engagement with a turnedoverportion 21 of the latch plate 17 and tends normally to hold said latchplate in a position with the anti-friction rollers 19, 19 in engagementwith the side face of the projections 10, 10, and to move said latchplate into position for the said rollers to engage the upper faces ofsaid projections when the plunger is in a depressed position.

In Fig. 3 is shown 'an integral spring mounting device 30, comprisingparallel spring-supporting members 31, 31, mounting lugs 32, 32 stampedfrom the supporting members 31, 31 and bent at right angles thereto, andan apertured member 33 bent over and adapted to receive the lower end ofa plunger 7. This mounting is formed from a single piece of sheet metaland the contact springs 35, 35, 36, 36 and 37, 37, constituting a unitand controlled by one plunger, are secured to the outer faces of thespring-supporting members 31, 31. The total length of the springmounting device is such that it fits snugly between the lateral sidemembers 14, 14 of the spring mounting plate to which they are secured bymeans of machine screws which engage' the mounting lugs 32, 32.

The plungers are freely rotatable so that in the operation of them, newsurfaces upon the projections 10, 10 and the spring-operating cams 11,11, are constantly being presented to the anti-friction rollers 19, 19so that the wear on movable adjacent surfaces V and-springs in alinementwith the operating- 7 plunger; Moreover, the use o'fthe separatemounting block for each 'set' of springs,

is equally distributed. The plungers are normally retained in normalposition and returned thereto by means of springs a0, 40.

The use of anti-friction locking devices engaging the cooperatingprojections of the key plunger and the use of a plunger which is free toturn, thus presenting new operated by means of the anti-friction latchmem-'.

hers, is strongand light and is a form which may be readily andeconomically produced.

The form of spring mounting which is produced from a sheet metal blankis also found to be of great advantage, inasmuch 'as sucha IHOUIlblIlgJSeasily produced at small cost and makes possible the mounting andadjustment of the springs before the assembly of the structure. The useof the channel mounting plate in which the spring mountings snuglyprovides a rigid supporting means which retalns the mounting which alsoforms one support'or guide for the corresponding plunger, provides a keystructure in WhlCll' any one of the units, 1n-

7 cluding springs and plunger, may be readily removed for replacementand repair without disturbing other units. Q

What is claimed is:

; .1. In a switch keyin combination a top plate, a' plurality ofplungers extending through said top plate, said plungers being free torotate, a imiform conical projection formed on said plunger, areciprocating member having two parallel side members located one uponeach side of said plungers, and roller members secured at their ends tosaid side members in position to engage said conical projection.

2. In a switch key, a top plate, a channeled spring mounting plate,means for connecting said plates, contact springs, a stamped U-shapedmounting for said contact springs, means for securing said U- shapedmounting in said channeled mounting plate and a spring operating plungerreciprocally supported in said top plate and said U-shaped mounting.

3. In a switch key, a top plate, a plunger extending therethrough,switch springs controlled by said plunger, a supporting plate for saidswitch springs having laterally projecting sides, and a mounting devicefor said switch springs having parallel spring supporting members,punched out supporting ears formed integrally with said side members andan integral apertured portion adapted to receive the lower end of saidplunger, said mounting device being secured to said mounting platebetween the projecting sides thereof.

4.. A punched mounting device for switch springs comprising parallelspring supporting side members, integrally formed mounting lugs punchedfrom and extending at right angles to said spring supporting members,and an apertured plunger supporting member formed integrally with saiddevice. In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 17th dayof March, A. D.,

ALBERT F. F. GILSON. Witnesses:

E. EDLER, N. E. TU'rrIILL.

7 Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents.

7 Washington, D. C.

